Why most software is useless for contracting businesses (and what to look for when buying)

Most software is designed for 'regular' businesses that:

sell goods and services from fixed physical location(s)

operate on a transaction by transaction basis (one sale at a time, one after the other)

have the same staff working at that location, day in, day out

Software designed for 'regular' businesses is not well suited for contracting businesses.

Contracting is different; it is a manufacturing industry that:

is mobile

works on a job-by-job basis

works in multiple locations

works with different groups of people on each job

Contracting businesses must navigate their own ocean, one with its own set of forces. Information needs to be managed, organized, scheduled, and communicated differently - on a job-by-job basis, accessible from multiple locations, with mobile devices.